Mustard Seeds

My best friend and I have been using this new bible study method recently to dig into God's Word.  It's called Project 89.  You can read more about it  here .   Basically, you read a chapter a day from the four gospels.  We are currently still in Matthew.  Today, I read Matthew 16 and wrote down several thoughts/observations. I am thankful that my friend brought this to my attention and asked me to try it with her.  I have been purposefully carving out extra time to just spend in God's Word these last few weeks.   I love that I have carved out this extra time because I am being intentional about prayer, worship, and study together, without the distractions that come so easily.   It is nice to focus just on God's Word and not on reading what other people have learned from it (by using commentaries and the like).   I'm not saying that these things are bad.  They can be very helpful and very insightful.  But I wanted to dig into God's Word for myself.  I want

So a few months ago I posted a blog about the Kissing Tree.  You can read it here . My husband, Matt, and I have been trying to have a child for two and half years.  Back last summer/fall, we decided to wait until the first of the year and start seriously looking into/pursuing adoption.   When we made the decision to wait, I thought, "January is months away.  We've got time." November came.  I thought, "Well, we still have a couple of months." December came.  I thought, "Okay. Wow.  That was fast, but it's not January yet." Today is January 21st (as I'm writing this).  January is here.  It's time. We announced at church last week our intentions to adopt.  We have done some research in the last week.   We started researching, and let me tell you.  What I found absolutely terrifies me.   It's one thing to get pregnant, right?  That's your child.  Yeah, having a child is expensive.   But then you start looking into ad

Yesterday was my Wednesday night to teach the ladies at church.  It is always such a blessing to come before the ladies with the lesson that I feel God is laying on my heart.  Due to the holidays, it has been several months since I've gotten to teach.  That has given God a while longer to work this lesson into my heart.  I am going to try to adapt it to a blog, but if something seems weird, that's probably why.  I hope God speaks to you through this.  (All scripture, unless otherwise quoted comes from the English Standard Version.) Hannah’s Story 1 Samuel 1:1-28 ·       In verse one, we are introduced to Elkanah.    We are given his lineage here. ·       Verse two introduces us to our main character and her nemesis, if this were an action movie. ·       Elkanah had two wives.    Hannah is listed first.    She is our focus tonight.    Peninnah is listed second.    Most biblical historians believe that Hannah was Elkanah’s first wife and Peninnah, his second based